Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-03-29
lCoryighi. 1851. BY Atwood foFtes.l
THE GOOD OLD TIMES OF A
CENTURY AGO.
By JupGE C.. 7. WnrralS.
Chapter !.
INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTION.

ringing F, y inquired Abigail, the vile o
Joseph Taylor, n their younges, son o
twelve year. came bois,erously into ,h'
house. on = cool October afternoon, Il
the year 1891.
"why. hAvn't you heard the new.
mother, Cornwalli, has surrendered.
he continued ia the same breath. with
ou, giving her an opportunity TO reply.
"God be praised she fefven,ly eS
claimed. "Bui did you hear any,hin.
Abou, Jacob and Samusl'' y
John answered In the negative. where
upon she went TO the door aud called
"Jo.sph Joseph y
Tha, individual was doing bis chores
a, the barn. and upon hearing the cal
Of hi. wife he went 20 the house 10 as
certain whA, was wanted.
Don't you hear the chureh-bell
VIA, are you staying around the barn
f5r. when everybody is rejoicing a, The
capture Of CORVALLIS aud h.s red coats
a, Yoik,own,' - she reproyingly asked,
unmindfal Of the fac, ,hA, she herself had
been aroused 10 the great importance OF
,he even, by her little soa.
"Any news from samuel aad Jacob ?
was hi. first response.
"No. bat John had better run dosr
10 the store aud make inquiries. while
will 70 and tell Rachel" was the reply
a. she hurried up stair. TO see her daugh-
,er.in.lAv. whose husband was away
With hi, olds,, brother hsh,ing the bat
lie. cf hi, coah,ry. leaving hi' wife At
home with small child to take care OF,
and while ,he breaks the news 10 Rachel
We will sketch the An,ecedenis and sur
roanding,.
|, wa. midnighi a, Phil.delPhiA. when
q courier from Gen. Washington TO Con-
gre,.. reached ihA; city with the An-
nouncemen, of the capture OF the British
army a, Yoik,own on the 10Th OF Osio'
Der. l7sl.
The people we're aroused from their
,lumber. BY the cry Of the wA,ehmsn,
that Cofnwalli. had surrendered. Win
dows wen, up. heads covered With white
caps appeared. and when The cause OF
the ,umuli wIs fully knowa. the win
dow. went down again. The nishi.eAp.
disappeared. and men hastily dressed aud
rushed into the street. 20 shout ull they
were hoArse "Cornwallis j. taken
Cornwalli, is taken -
1, va, late Ia the afternoon OF the
second day after. ,hA, the report OF the
surrender reached -, an inland
town IN Massachusetts,.
The ehureh.bell rang The people
gathered a, the little village store and
post Office. 10 bear the glad intelligence
and 10 shout "CornvAllis has surrend'
cred CORVALLIS hA. suueniered!
In the crowd ihA, collected there was
the Taylor boy. who. after shouting a
few times with the Others, went home to
carry the news.
Joseph Taylor was third in descent
from John Tly lor. who bad come over from
EaslAnd TO America about 1850. leaving
a wife and several children behind. iill
be should be able 10 provide iof them in
the new ~orld. Having purchased
tract Of land near the coast, south OF
Boston. by industry and good manage
men, be founded hi. home, TO which h'
brought hi. family Abou, ten year. after
Prom here, like the limbs from the pAren'
trunk Of the oak. spread the family
branches through New Ensland
John Taylor was true isPrs,eniA'i'.
of ,ha, Ensli.h stock. which. Witnessed
from the mother country hal PeoPled ,h,
wilderness. with . resolute. worthy and
God. fearing race which had brought M
20 e1i,,snee the sehool.hoa'e and ,h'
,own.hoa.e. the germs OF the modern
civilization Of America.
Joseph Taylor wa. born IN Weymouth
Massachusetts,, on the old homestead o
hi. grandfather in lI26, but on attaining
hi. majority. had moved to =
where he owned house In the village
with a few acres Of ol,lying land
Hi, occupation however, wa, 'hs' o
A shoemaker. lie had served In III
Massachusetts, militia. in which the sol
dier were enlisted ior shof. periods. o
were minute men. and was a, the battle
Of Bunker Hill And the siege OF Bo'io'
with hi. two older sons, samuel and ia
COB. They had been also IN the cam
paisn agAins, Burgoyne aud were a
Saratoga where the father had receives
a wound in the leg. which. when It ha'
healed, had lsf, the knee.joln, somewh.
stiff or inaexible. This ended his mill
,ary career for the war. bul the sons ha'
kept pretty constantly in the service o
their country. and with the flower OF ih
Eastern army. had been sen, to Nifsini
,o,ake part in the campaign against Corn
walli.
Jacobs age was twen,y.six. lie va
skor, and thick. Of ligh, complexion
with a fresh and ruddy con,enanee an
would weigh abou, two hundred pounds
while Samuel wa. more like his mo,he
eSeep, ,ha, he was taller. lie had
high forehead. regular features aud
pair Of sharp and intelligent eyes, 'ha
indicated the activity and mental gras
Of the man.
When at home he was the life an
wi, Of the neighborhood. Even Aun
Betty. an old crone, whose bent hsur
over cane, and extended hand Of wsrninl
had for year. been an object TO be care
fully avoided by children, fsl, his 'upe
riori,y and was humbled in his presene'
while Sally Packard, the scandal.monse
and retailer Of gossip. whom nearly eve
~ one de.pi.ed. though but few cared !
offend, feared his biting sarcasm, whie
she had often deservedly felt to her ea
,reme modification and displeasure.
The two brothers were s unlike
many respects as two persons could we
be. Jacob was Of = spiritual turn
mind and Of the orthodox faith. Th
religion Of hi. fathers was his. II
men who had fed their country for cot
sciences sake. to people q new woil'
where they nigh. worship God aecOrdin
10 their faith, were to him the salt OF Il
earth, whose example wa, to be follow'
II -. ,...k,ng. .lonh never